


So, Who Is He?

by FerrousKyra



Series: Princess Pet Name AU [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Coming Out, Crack, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Kinda, LGBTQ Themes, to extended family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:09:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27998796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FerrousKyra/pseuds/FerrousKyra
Summary: Ursa overhears Azula say "I love you too, Lee." & now she needs to know everything about Azula's boyfriend.
Relationships: Azula & Kiyi (Avatar), Azula & Ursa (Avatar), Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar), Iroh & Ursa (Avatar), Ursa & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Princess Pet Name AU [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2039281
Comments: 8
Kudos: 156





	1. Chapter 1

Usually, when Azula hears that Zuko invited their mother over, she leaves. Most often, to Ty Lee's place. But today, she decides to stay, because Kiyi could hit puberty any day now; &, as much as she'll enjoy having someone to complain about Ursa's sup-par parenting with, she's quite fond of the little ball of sunshine. So, she tolerates Ursa's presence to be with her little sister. At least Uncle will be there.

He & Azula don't get along swimmingly, but he is the only member of the family capable of reading a room. Honestly, she can't wait for him to quietly ask her to play Pai Sho & excuse them before she causes too much of a scene.

Also, Ty Lee's away on some Air Nomad holiday, & Aang never lets any of the acolytes use their phones. (Ty Lee's like, a fourth Air Nomad! Why does _he_ get to make all the decisions!)

Azula's phone rings at Ty Lee's last chance at a guilt trip free phone call. Azula doesn't even register that Ursa's already arrived when she takes it in the living room.

.oOo.

Ursa has a dirty secret. She's a gossip.

  
& her favorite co-conspirator, Iroh, is here. Which is why, when Azula ends her phone conversation with "I love you too, Lee." she immediately goes to squeeze all the information she can from him.

"Iroh," she whisper-screams, "Do you know Azula's boyfriend?"

He does not. Nor does he know that Azula's with Ty Lee. Nor that she's a lesbian.

"No. Azula has a boyfriend?" He replies, intrigued

"Yes. I just heard her on the phone. His name is 'Lee'." She gasps, having just come up with an idea. "Do you know any Lees?"

"Only one of my employees. I doubt she'd have any interest in him; he looks exactly like Zuko, except with buzzed hair, green eyes, & no scar.

"He acts like Zuko too!" he says with no small deal of humor.

"You're probably right. Though she _has_ always had a soft spot for her big brother,"

Before he musters a retort, she excitedly says "We should ask Zuko."

.oOo.

Zuko knows Azula's rule with Mom. Ursa is not permitted to know _anything_ about her. He also knows the rule about being friends with a gay person. No outing.

So when Mother approaches him asking whom her boyfriend is, all he can come up with is "Uh..."

She's incessant. "I heard her on the phone with _Lee_."

Once again "Uh."

"Come on, my little turtleduck, shouldn't a mother know her possible future son-in-law?"

He resolves to not speak at all.

"Please, Zuko; I want to know if she's safe."

"Just ask her yourself!"

.oOo.

Azula seriously considers skipping dinner.

It's not like she hasn't done it before; it isn't like she hasn't done it just to avoid Ursa before.

This would, however, be the first time she'd have done it to Kiyi.

In the end she sits down at the table, despite Ursa nearly vibrating at the prospect of being allowed to speak with her. One of her many compromises made for Kiyi's sake.

.oOo.

"So Azula; who's Lee?"

Azula glares daggers at Zuko. "What. Did you say?" she seethes.

"NOTHING! She heard you on the phone!"

"If I find out that isn't true, I will poison you in your sleep. You will die a slow, agonizing death; by my hand."

"AZULA." Ursa screams. "Do not threaten your brother!"

"You can't say that to me! You gave up that right when I was eight!"

Silence.

"'Zula." Kiyi sounds scared. "Please don't me mean to Zuzu." She whispers.

Azula holds back tears. Staring at the table, she whispers a strained "Okay. Okay Kiyi, I'll be nice to Zuzu. I'm sorry."

.oOo.

"'Zula?" Kiyi asks.

"Yes?"

"I know you don't wanna tell mom, but will you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"Who your boyfriend is."

"I don't have a boyfriend, Kiyi."

"Then why did you say you love Lee, on the phone?"

_So Zuko was telling the truth._

Azula smiles, despite herself. "Her name is Ty Lee. She is my _girl_ friend. & I do love her; very much."

"Girls can have girlfriends!?" Kiyi shouts in confusion, effectively announcing Azula's gayness to the whole apartment.

Well if she wanted Ursa to not know, it's too late now. Though, that decision was made when she told a child.

"Yes, we can."

"Cool!"

.oOo.

"Azula?" Ursa tentatively asks. "Could we please talk?"

Azula takes a deep breath. She looks her in the eye, crosses her arms, & waits.

Ursa, deeming this too important, takes it as permission.

"I'd like to apologize for my behavior. Nothing about how I acted today was fair to you. I'm sorry, Azula."

Her response is a scoff, but she relents. "Apology accepted."

"Thank you. & for what it's worth, I'm happy for you & Ty Lee. Zuko says she's good for you."

Azula curtly nods. Then, just as curtly, retreats to her room.

.oOo.

"'Zula!" Kiyi says as she knocks on her door. "We're leaving; I gotta say goodbye to you!"

As the door opens, Kiyi sees a very red-eyed Azula. Her face is also red & puffy, like she roughly wiped her hands over her cheeks.

"Why are you crying?"

"Don't worry about it, Kiyi. I'm alright."

Kiyi launches herself into a hug, hitting full-force. If Azula wasn't so used to Ty Lee doing the same, she would've been knocked onto the floor.

"I love you, 'Zula! You're the best big sister ever!"

She chuckles, "I love you too, Kiyi. & you're the best little sister ever. Just ask Zuzu."

The girl breaks into a fit of giggles.

"Goodbye, Kiyi."

"Bye-bye, Azula."


	2. Chapter 2

"Azula, I've already told you everything I care to about my past month." Ty Lee says. "You've been looking at me like you've wanted to say something all day; just tell me. Please?"

"Maybe I just want to hear your beautiful voice."

"Flatterer." she replies with an eye roll & a smile. "Seriously, princess. I'm starting to get worried."

Azula chews at her bottom lip, dropping her gaze. "It's not that bad,"

"If it's about Ursa, I'm not sure I can take your word on that."

Ty Lee lets out a heavy breath before continuing. "Look, if you don't want to talk about it, I have to accept that. But, if you keep acting the way you are, eventually I'll get worried enough to ask Zuko; & you know I'd rather hear it from you.

"I suppose."

She takes that as permission. "Let's start easy. How was Kiyi?"

"Wonderful as always. We played some games; sometimes with Zuko, sometimes with Lulu, sometimes not."

The fire ferret makes his way to Azula when he hears his name.

"That sounds nice."

"It was. & you know she says the funniest things, of course." Azula continues on as she scratches behind Lulu's little ears. He chirps in approval.

"Anything in particular?"

"Well; there was this one thing,"

"Mhm?"

"She said 'Girls can have girlfriends, too?' when I told her about... us."

Ty Lee beamed "You told her!?"

"Yes, she had asked me who this 'Lee' was who I said I love on the phone. It's all quite drab." Azula feigns disinterest, barely hiding her smile in her signature Cheshire grin.

It does nothing to dissuade the ensuing tackle-hug. Nor it's accompanying kiss.

"So, does this mean I can start coming to family gatherings as your girlfriend?"

"I'd rather not go at all. But yes."

Another kiss, barely forming in spite of Ty Lee's smile.

"As if you wouldn't rather have someone there, just for you."

Azula hums in acknowledgement. "Does this mean you'll be bringing me to your family gatherings?"

"Ugh. Don't you have enough family drama?"

"Someone's being hypocritical." She teases.

"I just don't want anyone gawking over you, like some sideshow."

"What's wrong, dearest? Don't want to sell tickets to the Ty Lee's crazy girlfriend show. I know at least 6 people who'd buy."

"So, how was Iroh?"

Azula, graciously, takes the bait "Just his usual fuddy-duddy self. We never spoke that day."

"Really? No avoid-the-drama Pai Sho?"

"No. He was far too late on that front to be affective, I suppose." She replies with mirth disguised as disinterest.

Ty Lee simply looks on, expectantly. Better to let her keep the charade up until she voices what she actually wants to. Then, to pick up the pieces.

"I. I had yelled at Mother at some point during dinner."

Ty Lee meets her girlfriend's eyes, silently asking her to keep going.

"I... Kiyi. She was so scared." The walls are already cracking. "She was terrified of me." Azula's voice had become small.

Ty Lee continues to hold her tongue. Instead, she offers comfort by rubbing circles in Azula's back with one hand, & holds one of hers with the other.

"I just- I've come so far. & I swore to myself," her voice cracks. "I swore to myself that I would never make someone I care about scared of me, ever again. & _one_ conversation with that woman was all took to undo all that work. I feel like a child again, anytime she's in the room. I get so angry & frustrated. & it's as if I never made any progress in the first place! Like not constantly hurting the people I love is just a pipe-dream."

"But Azula, you _have_ made progress. & your achievements _do_ matter."

"No they don't." She says with tired conviction.

"Yes they do, 'Zula! Is Kiyi still scared of you?"

"... No."

"Exactly! & you've hurt me in the past, but I'm still here, aren't I?"

Azula doesn't reply.

"Azula, I'm not scared of you. Not anymore. & Kiyi was probably just as frightened by the noise as your words. She loves you. Because you're good to her. & I love you. Because you've been nothing but good to me for years, despite our past.

Azula manages to crack a smile as she says "How do you always know what to say?"

"Kyoshi Warrior training." Is the easy reply as Azula is wrapped into a hug. "I love you, princess."

"I love you, Lee."

**Author's Note:**

> I was thinking of adding a conversation between Azula & Zuko after everyone else left, but I think Kiyi leaving was the right place to end.


End file.
